By Blake Haas

BLOOMINGTON – Bloomington’s top elected official says no tickets or fines would be handed out to those who participate in trick-or-treating; however, he warns against going door-to-door for candy because of the Coronavirus pandemic.

Bloomington Mayor Tari Renner says city officials are looking at safe, socially distant alternatives for Bloomington and Normal.

“We’re not in the situation where somebody is going to fine somebody else,” Renner told WJBC’s, Scott Miller. “We do have to protect the public. If they tell us that it’s not even groups of 50, even if you got groups of eight, 10 or 12 people, there could be what they call ‘unacceptable risks.’ We’re listening to the professionals, the people who are, the people who study this, again whether they’re experts in epidemiology or medical professionals or public health departments, that’s the concern that we have.”

Renner adds that no matter what city officials decide, he hopes that people follow the recommended guidelines set forth by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

LISTEN: Bloomington Mayor Tari Renner spoke with WJBC’s Scott Miller about trick-or-treating alternatives. 

“We would hope that people would abide by the guidelines, and that’s what they really are guidelines. And that’s what we’re asking people to understand and to explore perhaps whatever alternatives we’re able to come up with. I’m sure they’re not going to be great, but we’re going to try.”

Blake Haas can be reached at [email protected].